Nine 1970 Rioja with a Vega Sicilia ringer.

I got together last week with a few fellow old Rioja aficionados to check in on the 1970 vintage. 1970 was a seminal year in Rioja as not only was it an outstanding vintage, which many consider one of the top vintages of the 20th century, but it also marked the rise of "modern" Rioja, with less barrel time, riper fruit, lower acidity and the use of more new French oak and a slow pulling away from the traditional style where a wine might spend decades in old American oak barrels and are generally lighter in color, less fruit forward with higher acid levels. Most of the wines were of the traditional style, but we did have a Marques de Caceres, which many consider one of the first "modern" Rioja and whose first vintage happened to be 1970.

I'd been drinking a few 1970's lately, but it was nice to try a bunch of them together to see how they compared to one another and to see how they've stood the test of time. Of course with bottles of this age, there's going to be variance on how specific bottles show, indeed we did have a few off bottles, but at forty-one years of age, speaking broadly, many from the more well known producers are in largely good shape, though should be consumed in the relative near term as they're shedding fruit and showing signs of fatigue and do not seem to be holding up as well as some older vintages, such as '68's and '64's. That said, well stored bottles will provide immense pleasure.

• 1970 Bodegas Olarra Rioja Gran Reserva

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  Not the best bottle. It initially smelled completely maderized, despite having a healthy ruby color. With time the nose improved marginally to show mostly VA with a little brown sugar, cherry and leather underneath. The first sip is a bit sour and a second sip is needed to remove the pucker from one's face. Despite being fragile and clearly not a particularly good showing, there are some things of interest here, but it's tough to get by all the VA. Some cherry emerges with air and with a bit of citrus and leather, it does show a classic old Rioja profile, but that VA....C-.

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• 1970 La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva 904 Flawed

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  This had a host of problems, one of which was a slight tca taint, but that was the least of its worries. Second off bottle in a row.

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• 1970 Bodegas Riojanas Rioja Viña Albina Gran Reserva Flawed

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  The cork had at dropped into the bottle at some point. Completely maderized.

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• 1970 Faustino Rioja I Gran Reserva

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  Finally, something good to drink! This exhibited what I like so much about old Rioja. It shows one profile from the get go, but give it a bunch of air and these wines, even at forty years of age, really grow. Initially it really showed its age and we were commenting that it was probably past peak by a good 10-15 years. It showed classic Rioja flavors and aromas of a touch of VA, cherry fruit, earth, leather, worn wood and citrus. There was also a bit of a lactic note that faded with time. While first poured the wine showed a bit fragile and resolved, though with good acidity. Fast forward to the end of the night when we were going back to what was left and the fruit had grown, the wine had fleshed out and while not a brute, the wine had developed a lot more vigor. One of the nicer surprises of the evening. Low A-.

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• 1970 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Ygay Etiqueta Blanca

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  I'm told that the Etiqueta bottling is at least Reserva level and that the bottling was discontinued after '83 for a more traditional program of Reservas and Grand Reservas. It's a bit one note, but that one note is beautiful, focused and long. I'm a bit stunned by the purity, sweetness and vibrancy of plum and cherry fruit, which is the dominant character of the wine, along with a little bit of spice. It's rich, but not heavy at all. I view it as Burgundian, something Bob takes a mild exception to, because the fruit is so pure and the wine isn't showing the typical Rioja profile of worn wood, citrus, leather, etc. The acidity is high in typical fashion, but it does not come off as that orange peel type. The oak is so integrated, you don't realize it's there, which is also quite unusual for an old school Rioja. Just lovely. Solid A-.

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• 1970 Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Reserva

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  Notable for being the first wine from the bodega, which was started in 1970, though they didn't release this until 1975, this bottle might've suffered from having been flipped over a few times in the cab on the way to dinner when we narrowly missed crushing a delivery guy on a bike. Showing a bit unfocused and muddy, it's a much brawnier wine than the Murrieta, with a thicker texture and more classic Rioja aromas and flavors. There's a cherry, mushrooms, earth and a lot of beef here with orange citrus bringing up the rear. Resolved, but with the structure giving one last hurrah on the finish. Low B+.

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• 1970 Martinez Lacuesta Reserva Especial

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  Still shows nice life and your usual profile of earth, leather, cedar, with more of a raspberry fruit note than cherry and with a handful of mushrooms thrown in. A strong, pleasant coffee note comes up on the palate with some air. Juicy acidity and texturally more akin to the Faustino then say the Caceres ,or even Monte Real, but the wine has shed a bunch of its fruit and is now more in the cedar and earth realm, so I'd drink up. B+.

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• 1970 Bodegas Riojanas Rioja Monte Real Gran Reserva

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  Showed just as wonderfully as a bottle I had in August. It's in a very nice place right now with perfect integration and secondary development, while still showing vitality. The sweet cherry fruit has a wonderful vibrancy to it and is rounded out by beef, walnut, earth and leather notes with the usual citrusy acidity. It's richly textured and just a delight to drink. I'd drink up sooner rather than later while it still has its fruit. Solid A-.

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• 1970 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Gran Reserva

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Not the best showing. Indeed a half bottle I opened two weeks prior showed much better. This bottle shows a bit muddy and disjointed and overall not as fresh. There's a good core of fruit and with air a strong coffee note come up as did a mushroom character. Pleasant, but I found myself thinking of the half bottle. B+.

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• 1970 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único

  Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

  Greg didn't have a '70 Rioja, so he brought this as a ringer instead. Ok. I guess we'll accept it. An excellent showing for this legend, though perhaps holding back just a tiny bit in comparison to other bottles I've tried that have been a little more effusive. The wine seems suspended in time with its youthful and vigorous personality and structure. It shows beautiful aromatics of beef blood, baked earth, black raspberry, spice and a bit of menthol. Rich, yet perfectly balanced in the mouth with terrific length. Similar flavors as aromas with a strong blood note. A seemingly immortal wine and always a wonderful treat to try. A+/A.

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